Healthy Eating

Healthy eating starts by making informed food choices. Choosing a variety of nutrient-rich foods as the foundation of what you eat can help you live a longer, healthier life. Tufts experts keep you up to date on everything from shopping for the best meats, fish, fruits and vegetables to nutrition-smart food preparation and more.

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Vitamins & Supplements

The best way to get the nutrients your body needs is by eating a balanced diet. But it's not always easy to meet your daily requirements of certain nutrients from food alone. Tufts experts separate the facts from the hype on supplements. You'll find unbiased information on vitamins like B-complex, C, D and E, supplements like omega-3 and lutein and essential minerals like magnesium and potassium and how they can protect or, in high doses, even harm your health.

Exercise & Mobility

The health benefits of regular exercise and physical activity are hard to ignore. Exercise can prevent weight gain, help you lose weight, reduce your risk for chronic diseases, even improve your mood. There are many ways for older adults to include physical activity and promote mobility. You'll discover in-depth ideas for protecting your mobility and independence, and receive the latest news on joint health, inflammation, and healthy bones.

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Healthy Heart

A healthy heart is essential to remaining active and full of energy. Protecting your heart is easier than you might think. Taking steps such as limiting certain fats and including "good fats" that improve your cholesterol can reduce your risk of coronary artery disease, heart attack and stroke. You'll learn about the most important steps you can take to ensure a healthy heart from the experts at Tufts.

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Healthy Mind

Understanding how our brain functions is related to what we eat is an emerging area of fascinating scientific discovery. Learn how certain foods and nutrients affect cognition, and get the facts about brain-boosting foods such as green tea and dark chocolate so you can live the most mentally healthy lifestyle possible for years to come.

Healthy Aging

Feeling fit and well will help you get the most out of your everyday life as you age. Tufts experts will give you the knowledge to manage your health and offer tips on to increase your energy and maintain your independence. Stay on top of the latest health research to get the most out of life.

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Ask Tufts Experts May 2017 Issue

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What Are Lectins?

Q: What are lectins, and should we avoid beans, seeds and grains since they contain lectins?

George S. Ellmore, PhD, an associate professor in the department of biology at Tufts University, responds:

A: "A lawyer might answer this question with, 'It depends.' Lectins are proteins from plants used to store nitrogen and provide instant defense against animals trying to eat the plant since they can cause digestive upset, particularly when eaten raw. Lectins are found in roots, stems, leaves and seeds of many plants. The part of these plants that humans commonly eat is the seed (from a botanical standpoint). Lectins have been detected in the seeds of about 500 species of plants, including legumes (beans), nuts, oilseeds (such as sunflower seeds) and grains, such as wheat, rice, barley and rye.

"Once eaten by an animal, lectins bind to the sugar portions of the animal's intestinal wall where they interfere with digestion and nutrient uptake. That is why lectins are sometimes called ‘antinutrients.’ However, after edible seeds are prepared by methods using heat [especially moist heat], they contain very little lectin. Yet, they provide concentrated packets of protein, fat, carbohydrate and fiber, all of which are nutritionally beneficial.

"For example, raw soybeans contain 10 to 20 grams (g) of lectin per kilogram (kg) of soybeans, but when heat-processed to make soybean meal or soymilk, lectins drop to 2 to 4 g per kg. Surprisingly, at that low level, lectins improve the health of the gut microbiota [bacteria and other microbes] in ways that may ease food allergies and prime the human immune system.

"While raw seeds use lectins to resist pests, cooked beans and grains have supported the diets of some of the longest-lived humans on the planet. Therefore, we should celebrate these heat-treated foods in our diet."